Justification:
A subshrub endemic to the southern Andes of Ecuador, where four subpopulations are have been recorded in forest gaps and grassy paramo. One subpopulation is near the Río Tarqui, close to Cuenca, another in Tinajillas paramo, another southeast of Azogues and another north of Biblián. The principal threats are fires and conversion of forest to croplands. Classified as Endangered by the IUCN in 1997 (Walter and Gillett 1998).